Antithetical
by KyoSenpai01
Summary: They chased each other, endlessly and aimlessly, longing only for their love yet confined only to what life allowed to happen... "You know, they say that it's the greatest love when a man has given his life for his friend..." You are my friend... You are my dream... I wanna see you. It lights my soul on fire... I'll protect you my way... I'll go the distance. (ONE SHOT)


((A/N: Hello readers:3 Soo I decided to make this based on an activity I did with a few others in a forum Haha(x I was stuck in a rut with my main story, Envy of the Uchiha, so I did this. Please, whenever you have time, check out my main story! Either way... I did this based on how I kind of saw the relationship between Sasuke and Naruto. A bit SNS, but more or so on the lines of their love as _friends_ , not lovers. Even though SNS is my OTP haha.

((Of course, I don't own Naruto. Kishi does. If I owned Naruto, Sasu would be with Naru. Either way... The lyrics in the summary are from the Naruto Shippuden theme, "You Are My Friend". Anyways... Enjoy!))

The daylight was finally gone, and darkness began to protrude from all corners of the creaky old house in which the boy who waited for the darkness had resided. He couldn't live in the light; being a condemned soul, he was doomed to walk the earth by darkness and burn in the light. The Dark One, who had been once called Sasuke in a past life, admired the creamy alabaster skin of his arms, all blemishes and sores gone as the light retreated, temporarily cooling his burning flesh. It was marvelous, the effect of the moon coming out and healing him night after night.

He roamed the halls of the dark house, relieved to finally be free to do so. The days seemed to get longer every time, and the Dark One guessed it was summertime, although he'd long since lost track of the days and months and seasons. All creatures of the dark had come out as well, and he listened as they played and ran outside, acting as the dark and mischievous creatures they were.

Then, something disturbed his vision. He quickly turned his head of dark hair, looking for the disturbance, and he immediately found it; _light_. His very thoughts burned inside his head with the idea of light. He made his way to the distant room in which the light had come from, cautiously peeking his head inside to see it was the light of a dim lamp, illuminating the small room. He could hear the angry cries of the night creatures outside, all outraged by the very light that had condemned them.

Throwing his hood on and hiding as much skin as possible in his shadowy cloak, he finally entered the room, seemingly floating over the floor with his fluid movements, keeping his head down to shield his face from the lamp. He reached the opposite wall at last, sacrificing one moment of agony to eliminate the light, his hand stinging as he reached out to flip the switch. He hissed as the light went out, shaking his burning hand some as the blistering skin quickly healed in the cool darkness. He turned his back towards the damned lamp, ready to roam the darkness some more when suddenly, a faint click stopped him, dim light flooding the room once more.

In a bit of a panic, the Dark One cringed before quickly turning to see what had caused such an uncalled for action. It was then that he noticed it; one who made their dwelling among the light was in this room, knees tucked to his chest, head of fluffy, light hair kept down. He was scared. The Dark One hadn't noticed him before, as his head was down when he approached the light. How did a being so opposite to him reside in the same place as the Dark One?

The boy of light, once called Naruto, meekly looked up at the Dark One who was in his presence. The Dark One failed to go into the room in which the boy of light resided every night, but he had found him on that night somehow. The boy of light had no choice but to stay in the house; for his soul, too, was condemned, but to a different kind of fate. He could live among the light, but lived in fear of the darkness, never to leave the house where the Dark One made his dwelling. The boy of light knew the price he had to pay for the actions he took leading to that moment, but he would do it no other way if he had a second chance; for, unbeknownst to the Dark One, the boy of light had sacrificed his very livelihood just to keep him alive... Or rather, as alive as a condemned person could be.

The Dark One bowed his head after examining the trembling boy in his presence, his beauty undeniable. The boy wanted the light, but the Dark One couldn't allow such a thing. He turned away from the boy of light who watched with wide eyes as the Dark One once again burned the flesh of his hand, eliminating the artificial ray of sun. He then turned his back to the boy of light, questions still in his head about where he'd come from as he left the room, knowing that the light would come back on.

Surely enough, it did.

"Sasuke," the boy of light softly beckoned with a trembling voice, and the Dark One abruptly stopped at the doorway, the light shining on his back. This boy... How could he know? The Dark One tossed a glance over his shoulder at the blonde haired boy before swiftly leaving the room, his shadowy cloak flowing behind him.

The light... the light was still there, even if the Dark One wasn't in its presence, and it bothered him to no end. He quickly thought of a place in the house that was completely dark, finally settling on the wine cellar. He resided there during the daytime while light reached even the seemingly darkest corners of the house. It was the only place the light couldn't reach, but it reeked of stale water and alcohol down there even though no spirits had been exposed to the air down there for years, and it was a boring repetitive act to go down there every single day.

As the Dark One turned a corner, he cringed at the slight glare of the light down the hall. Finally, with a hiss through gritted teeth, he retreated to the recesses of the cellar.

Thirty seconds... Two minutes... Soon, ten minutes passed, and the Dark One had yet to return to the room containing the boy of light. His blonde spikes swayed a bit as he turned his head to either side, waiting and inwardly expecting the one he once called friend to return. Did he even remember? The boy of light pondered over the thought.

He remembered their pasts very vividly and dreamed of them every day, dreamed of a time when they would throw seemingly aggressive stares at each other, each turning away with a smile they both knew the other refused to show. Oh, the feeling of the sun and the warm summer showers on his skin when they met outside, both too prideful to admit feeling gravitation towards the other, yet still they both never resisted the way they felt drawn to the other. Yes, those were times the boy of light could never forget. However, the Dark One showed no recognition at the face of his past friend. Could he have forgotten? He must have...

With that thought, the boy of light gathered his courage, grasping tightly the flashlight he kept in his pocket for times of desperacy. Right then was one of those times. To save the light of the lamp he relied on every night, the boy of light turned it out, shivering slightly in the cold darkness before hastily flipping on his trusty flashlight, lighting the way set before him. Although he roamed the old house during hours of light, and he'd gone a many times through the hall leading to his room, the nighttime had seemed to completely alter the appearance of the house.

The boy of light slowly stepped outside of his room, listening as the creatures of the night played outside, hearing them from every side. He finally came upon the staircase, taking one wobbling step onto the creaky, dark wood. His heart pumped adrenaline through his blood, and several times he forgot that he was doing this for the person he held dear to him. It nearly got to be too much, the sounds and the darkness, the coldness...

Suddenly, a terrifying screeching noise came from behind the boy. In a panic, he jerked his body towards the direction of the noise, his shaking hands both around his flashlight as he tried to shed some light on what made the noise. Silence for a few seconds as he fearfully searched, and then a rather small figure pouncing out from the shadows at the boy. The boy slammed his back against the wall as he desperately avoided the strange creature, his flashlight being thrown from his grasp and down the staircase with a dreadful cracking sound.

His eyes widened as suddenly he was surrounded by darkness, the creature running past him and down the staircase, making the most hideous noise as it did so. He realized it was a black cat as he caught a glimpse at it, being temporarily relieved that it wasn't some terrible and dangerous monster. Then, his heart pounded in his chest as he heard his flashlight rolling on the wooden floor at the bottom of the stairs. The light was out... He hoped to God it wasn't broken as he rushed down the stairs towards his one source of comfort.

The Dark One rolled his eyes up as he heard a faint commotion above him; first, something heavy dropping, then the sound of rushing feet going down stairs. Did that boy try to follow him? What was he doing wandering around in the darkness, anyways? Suddenly curious, the Dark One slowly ventured up the stairs and out the cellar, shutting the door behind him. Taking silent steps, he finally reached the kitchen area, noticing the body of the boy of light curled up against the wall. The boy seemed to hold something in his hand, desperately clicking it.

The Dark One soon realized the object was a flashlight, and it seemed to be broken. The boys shoulders rose and fell rapidly with his quick breaths, his body shivering in fear and coldness. The Dark One moved closer, still silent, the boy not noticing him as he drew nearer.

Why did the boy seem so familiar? Something about that head of light, fluffy hair made an odd feeling stir in his chest. How long had it been since he'd felt anything like that? The Dark One had long since forgotten what warmth and comfort felt like. Was it nice? All he could remember was darkness, icy coolness, the anguish he felt at light and heat that he so desperately tried to live by so long ago.

Suddenly, the boy of light snapped up his head, fixing the Dark One with a fearful and sharp stare. The Dark One just couldn't take his eyes away from the electric blue staring back into his dark depths. They stared at each other, both trying to figure out and comprehend the other, until finally the Dark One stepped forward. The boy of light immediately flinched and moved back, causing the Dark One to pause. He then took another step forward, causing the boy of light to scoot back again.

"No," he said firmly, staring up again into those dark depths. After a moment of silence, he spoke up again. "Don't come closer."

"You're just scared," the Dark One said with a calm voice, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small object. He extended his closed fist, waiting patiently as the boy stared up at him with skepticism. Slowly, the boy of light reached out with open palm, allowing the Dark One to drop his gift into his hand. As the boy pulled it close, he saw it was a lighter. His heart skipped a beat as he ignited the small flame, warmth surrounding his fingers and soft light glowing off from it. "How... do you know me?" The boy of light was pulled away from his flame as he heard the Dark One's quiet voice, his imposing frame angled away from him.

"How do I know you?" The boy responded, slightly stressing his eyebrows. Hadn't they known each other the entirety of their lives? "What do you mean? We've always known each other. Don't you remember me..?" The Dark One also furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

"No. I don't even know your name."

"Naruto. It's _Naruto_. How can you not remember me? We... we were best friends..." The Dark One's eyes rested on the boy, watching as he turned his head down, seemingly deep in contemplation. Best friends? How could he have been best friends with a person he couldn't even remember the name of? But still, the boy knew him. It couldn't have come from nowhere. And the boy's name... Naruto...

Unfamiliar pictures suddenly flashed through his head. A boy with bright hair and a brighter smile, the sun making him seem to glow, and light, tons of light, and for once the light didn't bring dread, but... something else. Joy? Excitement? Always, the boy with bright hair was with the Dark One, pulling him along, staying with him. Together. But it was so vague, the pictures. Were they memories? They certainly couldn't be his own.

The Dark One then turned away from the boy of light, towards the staircase from which the boy of light had previously descended in his pursuit for the Dark One. The boy looked up curiously from his flame, seeing as the Dark One climbed the old stairs. He couldn't remain down there anymore. Maybe he was sick? No. He didn't get sick. Perhaps he was tired. He felt tired. But he always felt tired, didn't he? Either way, being around the boy of light obviously brought on an uneasiness and unfamiliar, almost scary things.

The Dark One found the room he had often went to during his nighttime ventures and entered, setting his sights on the bed against the wall. Yes, that should do quite nicely. He laid down, sighing heavily in exasperation, trying and wanting to forget everything. Still, it bothered him that he couldn't stop thinking of the boy, and he kept seeing the memories that couldn't have belonged to him. More than anything else, he felt colder than he'd felt in a thousand years, in a million years, and he felt so terribly, horribly, so very... _empty_. He was a condemned soul. Shouldn't he feel that way? Yet it was an aching feeling that he'd come to consciously acknowledge and loathe.

He wanted the boy to stay away from him, yet he desired nothing more than his presence near him.

The boy had noticed that the Dark One left him. He decided not to follow such a disturbed figure, but as he watched with admiration his tiny, most beloved flame, he felt something like chills. Right away, he knew it was because he lacked the presence of his friend. The Dark One didn't even remember him, though. He left. He didn't want to see the boy of light. Yet the boy still longed for his presence.

So after a moment of conflicted thoughts, the boy got up with his flame and boldly walked up the stairs after the Dark One. For all he knew, the Dark One could be longing for him as well.

Silently, silently, his feet padded across the wooden floors towards where he believed the Dark One was. It was simply intuition; he didn't know where the Dark One had taken leave to. Yet he could almost feel his presence. And at last, he found him. He entered the room, seeing the Dark One lying with his back facing the door. The boy paused at the door, waiting for maybe some kind of acknowledgement, but entered further after nothing happened. He walked to the other side of the bed in view of the Dark One, standing there silently. Still, they traded no words.

The Dark One nearly gasped when the boy hesitantly extinguished the tiny flame he held, tightly gripping the lighter in his hand. What was he doing? He watched carefully as the boy put the lighter in his pocket, then laying on the bed, facing the Dark One. They stared at each other, each trying to figure out what to say, the Dark One trying to make sense of what had just been done.

"Don't you need your light?" The Dark One finally spoke up, although his voice was hardly above a whisper.

"It's fine."

"But-"

"You're here. You're my friend, so it's okay." The Dark One swallowed, stressing his eyebrows. _Friend_. What _was_ a friend? He'd left all things such as those behind when he'd entered the house he was now condemned to. His friend...

No further words were spoken as they laid there, staring at each other for the remaining hours of darkness. As soon as the night creatures had gone silent, the Dark One knew it was time. His eyes flicked towards the small window against the wall behind the boy he'd been staring at, seeing that the sky was just beginning to lighten in shades of blue right at the horizon. Looking at the boy of light one last time, he got up, not speaking a single word or even looking back as he exited. He heard none other footsteps than his own, signifying that the boy still laid on the barren bed.

The Dark One again confined himself to the stale, moist darkness of the wine cellar, each minute seeming to be an hour as he unconsciously awaited the coolness that would soon grace his burning skin, the first howl of the creatures that would again surrender themselves to the nighttime. He didn't want to admit it to himself, but he was excited by the thought of seeing the boy of light even once more. Would the boy be waiting for him? Would he still be in the room, lying on the bed? The Dark One paused as this thought struck him.

They hadn't made plans on meeting again. Did the boy even want to see him again? Of course he did. He wouldn't have approached the Dark One otherwise. Besides, the boy must have gotten lonely, being in the house with no allies and no other beings other than himself for so many years. Even if it had to be one like the Dark One, he must have longed for another's company. Loneliness did strike the heart, and could often drive one to desperation.

But... they were polar opposites. The elements that composed the both of them were bound to clash and consume each other. It was simple logic. The light drove away the darkness. The darkness despised the light. Light and dark; good and evil; heaven and hell. They could never coexist.

No. Maybe they weren't so different. He hardly knew anything of the boy, anyways. He would have to find out more once night came. Even if the boy wasn't waiting for him as the Dark One was, he would seek him out. He would see the boy of light again, even if it had to only be once more.

Darkness had reigned once more over the old, deserted house. As soon as coolness struck the Dark One's blistered skin, he threw open the cellar door, hastily making his way up and up. The boy could be long gone already. The Dark One had no time to waste.

He climbed the stairs and strode swiftly through the long halls, vaguely picking up the sounds of the creatures lurking outside. Finally, he reached the room where he'd been the previous night, stopping abruptly at the door as he immediately saw the soft glow of the flame the boy held, his body spread out on the bed. The boy turned his head toward the door, putting out the flame as he saw the one who awaited him. The Dark One sighed before fixing his composure, walking calmly towards the bed.

The boy of light smirked slightly as the Dark One laid next to him on the bed, turning onto his side to face the other. The Dark One had been awaiting the nighttime. He wanted to see the boy again, and the boy of light felt a kind of satisfaction at that, being slightly amused. He hadn't moved from the bed the entire day; he was also patiently waiting for the moment darkness would strike, waiting for the Dark One to appear with the cold blackness of the night. He never could've imagined the day that he'd anxiously anticipate the darkness, yet it had just happened. And he would continue to live in the presence of the very bane of his existence as long as it meant he could be once again with the one that he held so dear to him.

"You hated me." The boy of light widened his eyes slightly as the words came out. He didn't mean to say the words; they simply came out of their own accord. It was just slightly jarring that the person who had once seemed to hate him so was, at that time, anxious to see him. "I'm sorry..."

"I never hated you." Again, the boy of light was surprised. "I saw... _memories_ of us... when we were younger... When we were alive. We were... together. Friends."

"You remember?"

"No... I just saw images I've never seen before..." The boy examined the Dark One as his eyes drifted away from his own. He was confused. He didn't know what to make of the memories he'd seen. "How did you get here?" The Dark One suddenly lifted his eyes, holding the boy's gaze with a type of intensity that demanded an answer. The boy of light sighed before giving his story.

"When we were alive, you were against your friends. What we had... Our friendship... You had forsaken it for power, for revenge. You deserted all who had loved you and sought out the death of your brother, and you got it. All the while, I never let go of the friendship we had. I... I knew you were in pain, and... I couldn't let you go... I felt pain when I knew you felt it. But you still opposed me.

"Finally, you... took my life in your derangement, killing yourself in the process... You were to be condemned for you transgressions. Your soul was doomed to rot in the depths of the lake of fire, while I was to live in paradise forever. But I couldn't... I felt your pain again, and again, I couldn't let you go. So I made a deal with Death... You were to be condemned still, to burn in light and live by dark, but you could keep the life of your soul. In return, I would be condemned to the earth, living as a ghost of myself, living in fear of the darkness and in yearning of the light...

"We would still oppose each other by nature. And we were sent here, to always be in each other's presence, yet always opposing the other's existence. Even the times that we dwelt, they would be opposite so that it would nearly be like the other didn't exist." The boy of light again looked up to meet the Dark One's gaze. His dark eyes held confusion, his eyebrows stressed as if he couldn't believe what he'd just been told.

Could he have really done all of those things? The Dark One tried to imagine himself spilling the blood of those nearest him, forsaking all he'd ever known for the sake of power and vengeance. It was... _appalling_. He couldn't imagine any living person ever doing that type of thing, never mind himself. Still so, the Dark One, when he tried to remember anything before the old deserted house and relief at darkness, couldn't recall anything at all. This boy, the one of light, he had all the answers.

"So... we were friends... best friends?"

"Yes. We were always friends..."

"Then why did I kill you? Why would I kill my best friend?" The boy of light chuckled lightly, looking down as the memories rushed forth.

"You couldn't think straight with all the pain you had inside you. I wanted to bring you back home, but you saw me as being in the way of your objectives, and therefore an enemy."

"But... my own brother?" The Dark One looked down, painful memories suddenly bursting forth, very vague memories, yet still they came. A boy with blonde hair and a kind smile... Fierce, determined blue eyes and a scowl... Pain behind the brilliant blue... Red, red blood on his hands, on the boy, the blue gone from his eyes...

"He... wanted to protect you. He loved you so much, but... he couldn't love you the way he wanted if he were to save your life. He slaughtered your entire clan, your family... _his_ family, all to keep you safe. And... he fronted hate towards you so that you would get stronger, to keep you on the right path... Still, it wasn't enough... He couldn't save you from everything in the end. But he loved you, he really did. He loved you to the very last..." The Dark One felt a pain in his chest that he'd never felt before as his head was suddenly filled with the pain of loss, the anguish he'd felt all those years ago. A kind smile and a soft jab to the forehead, the symbolic fan that held so much pride, the red of the fan, red in those kind eyes, red on the hands he once held...

It was simply too much for one to take all at once. Blood, blood, so much blood, and behind that were familiar, powerful red eyes and black hair, the message to return when he also bore the red eyes. The Dark One felt as if he couldn't breathe. These new feelings... they made his chest tight, and his throat hurt. It was overwhelming, and he wanted it to go away.

"Tell me something good," the Dark One said quickly, shutting his eyes.

"Huh?"

"Please, tell me about something good!" The boy of light widened his eyes in surprise, immediately thinking of good memories. Did what he told the Dark One affect him that much?

"Um... We were on a beach," the boy of light began, watching for the Dark One to open his eyes again. "You and I... we weren't together. We didn't know, but... we were headed in each other's direction. It had been a long time since we saw each other... And I saw you as I walked. You were far away, and at first I couldn't believe it, but it was you... I broke into a sprint; I couldn't help myself. You ran also. And it felt like an eternity of running, but at the same time, it felt like it was only an instant." The Dark One sighed heavily, his eyes opening slightly as he looked down. "We finally were face to face. It was night, and the stars... But I didn't know what to make of it, your being there in front of me at long last. I don't know what you were thinking, but... we stared at each other for ages it seemed."

The Dark One felt relief of the grief he felt as pictures of a dark sky and glittering stars over a vast ocean came into mind. The blonde haired boy stood before him, his bright hair and eyes standing out against the darkness of the night. That was a good time... They walked away together, as friends, and though they went off aimlessly, they weren't lost so long as they had each other. Yes, that was a really good time...

"Why did we ever fight?" The Dark One inquired quietly. "... I know why we fought, but... I wish we hadn't." The boy of light chuckled as the Dark One met his eyes once again.

"Me too... We were great partners, you and I. When we fought together, nobody could stand a chance... Although, that ended all very early... We fought... And our powers matched each other's..." He paused briefly, remembering the times they'd fought so valiantly, and yet it seemed to be without cause. "I'll never forget that look in your eyes... I never saw such... _hate_ in one person's eyes..."

"Why would you die for me?" The Dark One couldn't understand. If he had so much hate, if he displayed such remorse, why would this boy even try to save him? It made no sense.

"I'm still alive."

"You aren't where you should be." There was an odd moment of silence before the boy of light spoke again.

"How could I not...? I couldn't just let you die... You're my friend." The Dark One looked down as there was another moment of silence. "You know, they say that it's the greatest love when a man has given his life for his friend."

"Who says?"

"They."

"Who are they?"

"... Them." The Dark One looked in confusion at the boy. What did he mean? Suddenly, the boy burst into hearty laughter, and it was contagious, for he had the Dark One with a grin that swept across his face.

"I don't get you..."

"You asked me that once," the boy said as he finished laughing, a bright smile still on his face. "And I answered in the same way. It was nice... It rained that day, but it was warm rain, so we stayed out in it." Warm... warmth... The Dark One could recall no such feeling. He knew what it was supposed to feel like, but he had no recollection of any such thing. Warmth? All he'd ever known was the constant icy coldness that remained under his skin, and the agonizing burning pain of light. But warmth...?

"What is it like... to feel warmth?" The smile faded from the face of the boy of light.

"Well... it's..." The boy paused for a long while as he tried to conjure up the right words to describe warmth. "It's... _warm_. I don't know... It feels nice. It's not hot and it's not cold. It's just right."

"I've never felt 'just right'. I only know cold and extremely, painfully hot."

"It's... like walking under the sun on a perfect summer day..." He paused as he remembered that the Dark One actually couldn't walk under the sun. "Never mind that. It's... it's honestly impossible to describe." He watched the Dark One lower his eyes in disappointment. It was... _heartbreaking_. He would never know what it was to be embraced by the comfort of silky, gushy, sweet warmth. He would only know fire and ice. But... there was a different kind of warmth.

The boy of light briefly recalled a time when he had been hurt, when he needed comfort, and the one who comforted him took his palm and placed a single, soft kiss in the center. At that moment, warmth grew from his palm to his heart and his gut like a blooming flower, and it felt absolutely golden. Perhaps he could give the Dark One that.

"Here... I know how you can feel warmth. Give me your hand." The Dark One eyed the boy of light inquisitively, keeping his hands at his sides.

"What are you going to-"

"Relax. I know what I'm doing... Do you want to feel warmth?" The boy held out his hand for the Dark One, giving a warm smile. It would cost him dearly, but it was worth it for his friend. Reluctantly, the Dark One gave his hand to the boy. He took the Dark One's hand with both of his, very slowly, and once his skin touched the cool flesh of the Dark One, he felt a dreadful icy coldness spreading slowly upwards from his fingertips. Still, he smiled a bittersweet smile, opening the Dark One's palm and bringing his hand closer. If only he could feel just one moment of warmth, one moment of happiness, then it would be worth it...

The Dark One watched with confusion as the boy of light suddenly had a sad smile. His eyelids were lowered so that he looked at his hand, but the Dark One could tell that something wasn't right. The boy then closed his eyes and pressed his lips to the Dark One's palm, and immediately, the Dark One felt an odd sensation in his hand. It blossomed tenfold in an instant, travelling from his palm to his chest and his stomach, and it made him dizzy. When he tried to picture it, it looked golden and smooth, and it felt... _happy_.

He took his hand from the boy, holding it with his other hand, staring carefully at his palm. What had the boy just done? Was that warmth? It felt how the boy had tried to describe it. He continued looking at his palm as the feeling grew and engulfed his entire body, trying to figure out the exact cause of it, and he swore he saw his palm glow with a little bit of golden light. Soon, the feeling began to reduce, leaving tingling traces of the strange heat in his body.

"Naruto," the Dark One said, turning his palm towards the boy of light and looking at him. Then, he stopped. The boy laid on his back, facing the ceiling, and his skin... It was turning sickly pale. The Dark One reached out to grasp his arm, stressing his eyebrows. "What's happening-" His heart skipped a beat as his skin touched the boy's, feeling not warmth, but icy coldness. The boy turned his head slightly towards the Dark One, giving a weary smile as a single tear slid out from the corner of his eye.

"I didn't think... that it'd be... this cold," the boy said with a raspy voice. The Dark One could only watch in confusion and panic as the bright blue was drained from the boy's eyes, leaving an icy blue in its place, and the vibrant blond of his hair was darkened until it finally turned raven black.

The coldness spread throughout the boy's body like poison, leaving an excruciating burning sensation, and still so he felt as if he'd been dunked into a tank of ice water. The coldness... it was like needles being pierced through his skin all over, and the burning he felt only accented the pain. But he couldn't scream. He couldn't even move his body. He felt as if he was suffocating, and a heavy aching cultivated in his chest. He tried desperately as survival instinct to breathe, to get any amount of air into his lungs, to fill them with the sweet oxygen just begging to enter, but he _couldn't._ He was... _dying_..

The Dark One knew that he could do nothing to help the boy of light. He wanted to, _God_ he wanted to save him, but there was absolutely nothing that could be done. The warmth he felt quickly faded as panic struck him, fear and this terrible aching in his heart, watching the very life be sucked out of the one who had just gifted him with something absolutely wonderful. He realized it then; he couldn't touch anyone he loved without bringing a curse upon them. He would never make the same mistake again, but then again, there was nobody else to make the mistake with.

He'd ruined his one chance.

"Stop trying to breathe," the Dark One whispered quietly, placing a hand on the boy's chest. "You'll only make it more painful..." The rapid rising and falling soon slowed down, until finally the boy's chest sunk in, all the breath leaving him at once, icy blue eyes still wide open. Just like that, the true essence of his soul was gone. All that was left was the shell of his former self. He would come back, but he might as well be dead. There was no more life in him.

The Dark One sat for what felt like an eternity next to the dead body of the boy of light, feeling the heaviest, most painful grief he'd ever felt. Again and again, he kept thinking the same words: "I ruined my one chance." He tried to think of something, _anything_ at all that he could do to reverse what he'd just done, to take it back and put the color and brightness back into the boy's eyes, but it was too late...

The Dark One flinched in surprise as the boy suddenly gasped, drinking in a deep breath of air, his eyes rolling up as his body raised slightly from the bed. His body then collapsed again, his chest rising and falling quickly as he blinked rapidly, seeming to try and regain focus. The Dark One's eyes widened slightly and he leaned in, waiting for the boy to fully come back to consciousness. The boy's breathing soon calmed down, his eyes zeroing in on the Dark One. He then smiled slightly, his eyes squinting a bit. The Dark One swallowed hard, knowing that the boy was in pain, that he felt no happiness.

"Did you feel it?" He asked the Dark One. He didn't answer for a second, his throat tight with sadness. "You... you felt the warmth, right?" The boy's words grew nearly desperate, his eyebrows stressing slightly as he grasped the hand of his friend. The Dark One forced a smile, looking into the boy's eyes.

"Yeah... I felt it." Relief filled the boy's eyes, and his grip on the Dark One's hand loosened as he sighed.

"What was it like?"

"It was... just like you described it to be. It was sweet and smooth... Like honey milk... It was golden."

"Heh... Not so easy to describe, is it?" The Dark One smiled, looking down.

"Not really..." Silence dominated as the boy sighed with a smile and turned his head toward the window, never letting go of the Dark One's hand. After a few moments, he was surprised, feeling the Dark One tighten his grip on his hand. The boy looked over at him, seeing that his head was down, and he seemed very distressed. "I... I'm sorry... I did this to you."

"Hm..? What are you-" the boy stopped as the Dark One suddenly looked up, and there were tears running down his cheeks. The boy took in a sharp breath, biting his lip. God, who'd have known that it would be such a heart wrenching sight, seeing the Dark One at the mercy of his own emotions? The boy swallowed the lump he felt forming in his throat, once again smiling. "You've done nothing bad to me... Look, now we can always be together, right?" The Dark One bowed his head, his shoulders shaking in despair. The boy tried to keep his smile, but was soon overcome with his own grief, hot tears welling up and spilling out of his eyes against his will. They burned in his eyes, and they came out cold against the curve of his cheek.

"But... won't you miss the light? The warmth? Don't you want those?" The boy of light wiped away his tears with the heel of his hand, never letting his smile fade. He tightened his grip slightly on his friend's hand, causing the Dark One to look up, his eyelashes wet and sparkling in the dim moonlight with his tears, his dark eyes wide, and the boy swore he'd never seen anything more beautiful.

"Sasuke... I'll never miss the light as much as I've missed you."

((A/N: That's all! Please leave a review if you want to leave any constructive criticism or anything. Compliments are always nice Haha(x Please excuse any minor grammatical mistakes I may have made! And don't forget to check out my main fic, Kay? Thanks for reading!))


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